From chubby to goal machine | Harry Kane Documentary

He cost Bayern Munich 100 million euros. But Harry Kane now calls Germany home after scoring goals for fun in England. And he's the Bundesliga's record transfer. I felt like it was the right step in my career to really push myself, test myself on the highest level. That's why I'm here and I look forward to that challenge. Every footballer says something similar when they change clubs. But for a player who never won a trophy in England, moving to Bayern will certainly bring Kane silverware. But for the world's 17th most expensive transfer fee, what will Kane bring to Bayern Munich? How did he become one of the best footballers in the world and convince the Bundesliga giants to splash the cash? Bayern's ultimate goal is European domination. They want the Champions League more than anything else. And if Harry Kane can help deliver that, he'll have paid back his hefty transfer fee. Goals are his bread and butter. And that will be the main tally which matters as he settles into Bavarian life. If I'm not talking German but I'm still scoring goals, I'm sure they won't be too disappointed. Kane is a Tottenham Hotspur legend, scoring a club record 280 goals in 430 games. Oh, and 64 assists to boot. He made his England debut in 2015 and became England captain at the 2018 World Cup, a tournament where he won the golden boot as England made the semi-finals. And in March 2023, he became the record goalscorer for the Three Lions. At the start of October, his tally stood at 59 goals in just 86 internationals. On top of that, he received an MBE from the British Royal Family, so maybe one day we'll even hear the words, arise Sir Harry Kane. Powerful, strong, heavy, storm and warm. These are the five words ChatGPT produced when asked to describe Hurricane, the England star's nickname. And they also apply to Kane's nature on and off the field. Family values nurtured Kane into the terrifying force he is today, instilling vital characteristics which have propelled him to the top. Above all, the Leaf. Football commentator Rob Daly has witnessed his rise firsthand. His predecessor at Spurs, Jermaine Defoe, knows all about him. As does Dave Bricknell, his youth coach at Ridgeway Rovers. You know, we all have a dream, don't we? Our dream is to go and play football. So with that in mind, it shows that you can achieve your dreams as long as you work hard enough. There's lots of talented boys, but the difference between a lot of them is their mindset and Harry's mindset was the best. Here in Chingford in East London, Kane went to school and began his road to the top at the age of six with Ridgeway Rovers. Well, we were very lucky at Ridgeway when I was there. David Beckham had just left us and he didn't do too bad. And then Harry's gone on and he's done very well as well. So we've had two ex-England captains play for the club. How does Kane remember his first mentor? A really good coach, not just kind of technically, but as a person as well to talk to. And back then, I think a lot of us were scared of him. He had like a loud, loud voice. But no, he was great. And obviously he's continued to support me throughout my whole career. So yeah, I'm always thankful to him. Kane also started his career in a very unfamiliar position. He was a very, very good goalkeeper for a boy that age. And I thought I'd found myself a goalkeeper, which was fantastic. And then someone said to me, he's not a goalkeeper, Dave, he plays on pitch. So we put him out on pitch and he scored lots of goals. Goals that attracted attention from big clubs such as Arsenal, but which also led to his first setback. Arsenal didn't want me, but it never stopped me from wanting to play football. It was just, OK, let's find another team. Let's keep working hard. And that's what I've done. And sometimes you have to show resilience. You have to show self-belief through times like that. Kane was eight years old when Arsenal labelled him as a bit chubby and not very athletic. So after just one season in the Arsenal Academy, he went back to Ridgeway Rovers and Chingford and found other ways to challenge himself. Anyone who's got an older brother would say that you're always competing against each other. You're always playing games or sports. And that's what we've done from a young age. You know, I'd always want to play with his friends. He's four years older than me. So I think that helped me get that competitive edge and probably helped me improve as a player. Players who challenge themselves against bigger opponents are often able to forge strong characteristics, an experience which gives them a better chance of making it to the top. And aged 11, Kane got his first taste of facing a world-class opponent. Obviously, I topped them at the time. I remember driving through a place called Chingford, where Harry grew up. And there was like a cage where all the kids were playing football. And I was with one of my friends. I said to one of my friends, I said, I'm just going to stop the car and we just go and join in. Ended up playing for like about two hours, like just five a side, played. It was really good. Years later, being at Tottenham and Harry actually, he came to the treatment room and we were just talking. And he said to me, he said, Jay, do you remember that time when you stopped your car in Chingford? I was like, oh yeah. He said, oh yeah. He said, I was one of those kids. I was 11 at the time. So yeah, it's just such a mad story. And obviously, Harry's gone on to do what he's done. So you never know, you know. Next time he stops his car, then, you know, you never know, there could be the next Harry Kane coming along. The 11-year-old Kane joined Spurs Youth Academy in 2004. But before he became a club legend, he had to complete a hefty apprenticeship. In his early career, it was far from clear that he had what it took to be one of the best strikers in the world. He was constantly loaned out in his first years as a professional. First to Leyton Orient, then Millwall, Norwich, and finally Leicester City. It forged a certain resolve in the future England captain. Going on loan to different clubs and you have to show that resilience because it's not easy when you go on loan. And you have to be mentally strong enough for what he went through and to become the players that he's become. To put in all that hard work and, you know, he deserves a lot of credit. It's not easy. Kane's career at Spurs truly kicked off in the 2014-15 season at the age of 21. And once he started, he couldn't be stopped. The goals flowed and he was crowned the Premier League's top goal scorer in three seasons. Harry, we absolutely love you. Mate, you've been fantastic. You have been absolutely fantastic. Harry Kane is the best player the Tottenham Hotspur have probably ever produced in the club's more than 140-year history. While a Tottenham player, he became England captain and England's record goal scorer. He was adored by the fans here. And when he became the club's record goal scorer, overtaking Jimmy Greaves last season, he cemented his place as Tottenham Hotspur legend. But what makes Harry Kane a legend? What makes him different or better or more dangerous than all the rest? When you look at a lot of players, there are certain things you think, you know, well, that's natural. I don't know if you can teach that. I think he just had that natural instinct and always felt comfortable in front of goal. He may have been a late starter, but so too was good friend and NFL star Tom Brady. I think Brady's been an inspiration to Kane. You look at the fact that Brady was such a late pick in the NFL draft as a youngster and Kane's talked about this himself. He sees that as an inspiration. Brady went on to become the greatest of all time and Kane himself perhaps was underestimated in his younger years. People didn't think he'd go on to be a superstar. Yet he's become one of the best strikers in the world. And there's one thing that's more important to Kane than anything else. And no, it's not goals. Family is massive. And then as I got older, you know, I met my wife Kate now and she's been extremely supportive. She sees, you know, maybe the other side of it when things are not going so well and she's always there to support me and lift me up and help me. So family is really important to me. And, you know, I know I wouldn't be here without all of them. He now has four children with his wife, Katie Goodland. The couple became childhood sweethearts after first meeting in school. He's not changed from the first time I spoke to him. I think how he is away from football. He's a family man. He loves his family. His extended family loves his football. All he wants to do is score goals and win. And that's it. But yeah, what you see is what you get. You know, he's just a nice guy. But even nice guys sometimes make decisions that not everyone likes, such as Kane's decision to leave his beloved Tottenham for Germany. So why the change? I don't know, really. I think, I don't know. I think he just felt it was time, didn't he? I never want to, you know, stop improving. And yeah, coming to a club like this, I feel like I've challenged myself to get even better. If I want to be winning Champions Leagues, if I want to be winning league titles every year, this is the place I need to show that. And I'm excited to show everyone, you know, even another level that I can go to. Harry, I wish you absolutely all the best, mate. Thank you for the time you've given us. Tottenham's loss is Bayern's gain. He gives us a lot of personality. He will, I think, with time, he will make our players around him better. He will learn how to make them shine. He will learn how to use their skills. He will assist also. He will not only score. And he will be the difference. And he is already the difference. Finally, Bayern fans have their long-awaited successor to Robert Lewandowski. And he's so much more than just a number nine. A lot of people might not know, but Harry was actually a midfielder as a kid. So that's probably where he's come from. I mean, technically, he's so good that I think that's why when you watch him play and he drops into those sort of pockets and he turns, you give him space. I mean, you talk about great passers of the ball, like Kevin De Bruyne and people like that. Harry's just as good. And how does Kane see himself? Throughout my whole career, I've showed that I can play the nine or the 10 role. And I've always kind of dictated that on how the opposition are, how they set up. Do they drop deep? Do they press? So I'll continue to do the same. I think ultimately, you know, I'll probably start higher up more as a number nine, more in the box. But even when I play as the 10, it's not like I'm dropping too deep. He's only been in Bavaria a short time, but the stats already speak for themselves. Nine goals in his first 10 matches, along with five assists. I love him. He's a fantastic guy, fantastic player, huge personality. Everything what I told you is true because he is. And in finishing, he's clinical. Harry Kane has already left his mark on the Bundesliga in his typical calm demeanor. And shown his natural leadership skills. He is a leader by example. The way he plays, the way he conducts himself, he's the ultimate professional. Yeah, just to get the best out of people and not just screaming and shouting, you know. To be a leader is just to be, I think, to be confident and to try and push as much as possible in any way, whether it's shouting, whether it's motivating, whether it's an arm around someone. So yeah, like I said, I'm early days here, but that's always naturally been in my kind of DNA. And what are his goals at Bayern? To make sure you are winning titles. You have to make sure you are getting far in the Champions League, otherwise you've failed. And that's an experience I wanted to feel. That's a pressure I wanted to feel. And that's ultimately why I've come. He's one of those players that I could see playing at the top level into his late 30s, without a doubt. Unless he wants to go to the NFL and become a kicker. In which case, maybe he'll leave it. For €100 million, Bayern could have bought more than 16 million portions of fish and chips. But they weigh you down. Or 15,000 Mini Coopers. But where would you put them all? How about 200 villas at €500,000 a pop? Well, they require a lot of maintenance. Kane is generally easier to take care of. And he may bring European glory to Bavaria once again. Will Harry Kane prove his worth? Let us know in the comments.